The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for hosiery toe closing. Embodiments of the present invention are advantageous for providing wide hosiery toe seams that are strong and easily visible.
In some garments, whether a seam is visible is not a major concern. In other garments, however, it is desirable for a seam to be easily seen by a consumer. For example, a visible seam can be used to guide a wearer as to the proper orientation of a garment for donning the garment. The toe seam on the xe2x80x9ctopxe2x80x9d side of a sock, for example, can quickly reveal which side of the sock is xe2x80x9cupxe2x80x9d and thus how to orient the sock to place it on one""s foot. Seams having a distinct appearance and that can be easily seen are used as part of the fashion design of a garment. Distinctive, readily visible seams are increasingly used as a means of brand recognition, and thus have important commercial value.
In addition, particular colors of threads used in seams, such as in a sock toe seam, can be used to indicate the consumer group for which the socks are made. For example, pink sock toe seams can indicate socks made for girls, and blue sock toe seams can indicate socks made for boys. Threads sewn into sock toe seams can include a single color or a combination of colors coordinated to match the colors of a school or sports team. Accordingly, the visibility of selected seams in particular garments is important.
Much of the garment sewing by textile manufacturers today is done with automated sewing machinery. For example, as much as 90 percent or more of socks are made using automated, high-speed sewing machines. Use of automated sewing machinery allows the ability to sew within tolerance zones, to apply statistical process control, and to sense errors, among other programmable process features. These features are particularly important as the market moves toward smaller lot sizes, and individual garment customization.
In automated sewing of textile products, threads smaller than those typically used in hand sewing are often utilized. As a result, seams made in automated sewing processes are generally less capable of being seen than hand-sewn seams. When the threads used to sew two pieces of fabric together, and thereby form a seam, are the same color as the yarn in the fabric, the seam is even less recognizable. Consequently, seams in textile products made on conventional automatic sewing machines are often essentially hidden from view.
Thus, there is a need for a means to sew easily visible seams in textile products. Many textile products are manufactured and sold with increasingly small margins of profit. As such, there is also a need to provide a means for sewing easily visible seams using conventional automated sewing equipment and that is cost-effective.
The present invention provides an apparatus and method for producing a wide seam in textile products. Embodiments of the present invention are advantageous for closing the toe of a hosiery blank with a wide, visible, and strong seam.
For example, an apparatus for producing a wide seam includes a sewing device including a sewing head having a sewing needle, and a seam width guide attached to the sewing head. The seam width guide has a maximum thread guide width sufficient to produce a wide seam. When the sewing needle pulls a thread around the maximum thread guide width of the seam width guide, a wide, visible seam is produced. The seam width guide is adjustably attached to the sewing head for adjusting an effective thread guide width over which the sewing needle pulls the thread for correspondingly adjusting the width of a resulting seam. In such an apparatus, the sewing device can further include a first sewing head having a first maximum thread guide width, for sewing a first seam. A second sewing head has a maximum thread guide width greater than the first maximum thread guide width, for sewing a second, wider seam over the first seam.
In an embodiment of the present invention, a hosiery toe closing apparatus includes a hosiery toe closing machine including a sewing head having a sewing needle and a toe seam width guide. The toe seam width guide has a maximum thread guide width greater than 5 mm. When the sewing needle pulls a thread around the maximum thread guide width of the toe seam width guide, the hosiery toe is closed with a wide, visible seam. In preferred embodiments, the maximum thread guide width comprises a width in the range of 6-10 mm. In most preferred embodiments, the maximum thread guide width is 7 mm.
The hosiery toe closing machine can include a first sewing head having a maximum thread guide width of 5 mm, for sewing a first, narrow seam. A second sewing head having a maximum thread guide width greater than 5 mm allows sewing a second seam over the first seam that is wider than the first scam. The maximum thread guide width of the second sewing head toe seam width guide is preferably in the range of 6-10 mm, and most preferably is a width of 7 mm. The hosiery toe closing machine seam width guides are adjustably attached to the sewing heads for adjusting an effective thread guide width over which a sewing needle pulls the thread. These adjustments provide corresponding adjustments to the first and second seams and thus to the relative widths of the first and second seams.
Such an apparatus is useful for closing the toe of a hosiery blank having a toe pouch with an edge and a hosiery top portion with an edge. In embodiments, use of an apparatus of the present invention allows the toe seam to be sewn into a course of yarn beyond the first two courses of yarn at the edges of the toe pouch and the hosiery top portion to provide a wider seam than in conventional toe closing machines. In addition, the second seam lies flat over the first seam. In embodiments, the second sewing head is positioned closer to a hosiery blank than the first sewing head to produce the second seam in a flat profile over the first seam.
Embodiments of an apparatus of the present invention include a hosiery blank alignment means for aligning the edge of the toe pouch and the edge of the hose top portion in juxtaposed relationship for sewing underneath a sewing head. In this manner, a straight seam can be produced at rapid rates in automated fashion. In an apparatus of the present invention, a hosiery toe closing machine can include a means for automatically conveying, or transporting, a hosiery blank between sewing heads and other operational stations on the machine.
Embodiments of the present invention include methods for closing a toe of a hosiery blank. In one embodiment, a method for closing a toe of a hosiery blank includes providing a hosiery toe closing machine having a sewing head including a sewing needle and a toe seam width guide. The toe seam width guide has a maximum thread guide width greater than 5 mm. Pulling a thread with the sewing needle around the maximum thread guide width of the toe seam width guide allows the hosiery toe to be closed with a wide, visible toe seam. In such methods, the maximum thread guide width is in the range of 6-10 mm, and preferably is 7 mm.
In other embodiments, a method of the present invention includes the steps of providing a hosiery toe closing machine comprising a hosiery blank conveyor means, a hosiery blank alignment means, a first sewing head including a first toe seam width guide having a maximum thread guide width of 5 mm, and a second sewing head including a second toe seam width guide, the maximum thread guide width of the second toe seam width guide being in the range of 6-10 mm. An operator manually places the hosiery blank on the hosiery blank conveyor means and conveys the hosiery blank to the first sewing head. The edges of the toe pouch and the hose top portion are aligned in juxtaposed relationship for sewing underneath the first sewing head, and the edges of the toe pouch and the hose top portion are sewn together in a first, narrow seam. The hosiery blank is then conveyed to the second sewing head, where a thread is pulled around the maximum thread guide width of the second toe seam width guide to sew a second seam over the first seam that is wider than the first seam.
In another embodiment, the toe seam width guides are adjustably attached to the sewing heads. The first toe seam width guide position is adjusted and the second toe seam width guide position is adjusted to effect a thread guide width in each sewing head over which the thread is pulled. These adjustments provide corresponding adjustments to the first and second seams and thus to their relative widths. In yet another embodiment, a method of the present invention includes sewing the second seam into a course of yarn beyond the first two courses of yarn at the edges of the toe pouch and the hosiery top portion so as to provide a wider seam than conventional toe seams. In still another embodiment, a method of the present invention includes positioning the second sewing head closer to a hosiery blank than the first sewing head, such that the second seam is sewn in a low profile relative to the hosiery blank and lies flat over the first seam.
Other embodiments of a method for closing a toe of a hosiery blank include providing a toe closing machine having a hem cutting device, conveying the hosiery blank to the hem cutting device, and cutting the hem off of the hosiery blank prior to conveying the blank to the first sewing head. Other embodiments of a method for closing a toe of a hosiery blank include providing a toe closing machine having a yarn-chain cutting device, and after sewing the second seam, conveying the hosiery blank to the yarn-chain cutting device and cutting off the ends of the first and second seams. Preferably, conveying the hosiery blank between the hem cutting device, the first sewing head, the second sewing head, and the yarn chain cutting device on the toe closing machine is performed automatically.
Embodiments include hosiery products made using apparatus and methods according to the present invention. Such hosiery products include, for example, socks, heavy denier tights, and ladies fine denier hosiery. Embodiments of the present invention can be used to provide wide, visible, and strong seams in other items made from sewn fabric and in garments other than hosiery. For example, an apparatus and method of the present invention having a seam width guide can be utilized to sew wide, visible, and strong seams in a shirt sleeve and/or in fabric covers for products such as an umbrella and a golf club.
Features of a hosiery toe closing apparatus and method of the present invention may be accomplished singularly, or in combination, in one or more of the embodiments of the present invention. As will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art, the present invention has wide utility in a number of applications as illustrated by the variety of features and advantages discussed below.
A hosiery toe closing apparatus and method of the present invention provides numerous advantages over prior means for hosiery toe closure. For example, the present invention advantageously provides a wide, visible seam that is beneficial for branding and marketing of products.
Another advantage is that the present invention provides wider seams that are sewn farther away from edges of fabric so that the resulting seams are stronger than conventional seams. In addition, because seams made according to the present invention are wide, embodiments allow a greater margin for error in sewing a seam.
Another advantage is that the present invention provides a means for adjusting relative widths of multiple seams sewn over other seams, allowing for a range of combinations of seam configurations and widths.
Another advantage is that the present invention provides seams that are sewn with a flat profile and are comfortable to a wearer.
Another advantage is that the present invention provides flexibility in control of seam width and visibility by varying the dimensions of one small, interchangeable component of a conventional automated garment sewing machine. As a result, embodiments of the present invention are cost-effective.
As will be realized by those of skill in the art, many different embodiments of a hosiery toe closing apparatus and method according to the present invention are possible. Additional uses, objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention are set forth in the detailed description that follows and will become more apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or by practice of the invention.